New Delhi: The Chief Ministers of Northeast states on Wednesday sought the Centre`s help in launching coordinated action against insurgents taking shelter in various states as well as neighbouring countries.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said coordinated action was needed in Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Meghalaya if training, arms supply transit routes and shelters of militants are to be chocked.
"Myanmar remains a foreign sanctuary and there are efforts to reopen camps in Bhutan. Any reversal by a future Bangladeshi regime of the drive against Indian militants will revive the spectre of inviolate sanctuaries across our borders," he said at the conference of Chief Ministers on internal security here.
Gogoi said he supports the concept of NCTC with a caveat that the states should be more engaged whether in developing intelligence leads or in executive action.
As per reports available, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said, NLFT(BM) (National Liberation Front of Tripura- Biswamohan faction) has as many as 19 hideouts in Bangladesh, four of which are located within 10 km of the Indo-Bangladesh border.
"The group has been trying to make fresh recruitments. Reliable reports also indicate that most of the Northeast insurgent groups, including NLFT(BM), have formed a common platform called United Forum, which may pose a serious threat to all NE states and to the country as a whole," Sarkar said.
His Mizoram counterpart Lal Thanhawla said various militant groups from neighbouring Northeast states and countries like Myanmar and Bangladesh have taken advantage of the porous and inhospitable terrain along the inter-state and international borders.
"This has direct bearing on the internal security for not only Mizoram, but also for the whole northeastern states as insurgent groups used it as a conduit for arms smuggling and for crossing over to neighbouring countries for seeking refuge or training," he said.
Meanwhile, Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma said lack of adequate strength of the police force and difficult terrains have had its limitations on counter insurgency operations, thus emboldening the militant outfits to continue in their nefarious activities.
"But despite constrains and challenges, continuous vigilance coupled with regular operations to flush out the militants and other anti-social elements indulging in extortions and other nefarious acts have helped in checking the activities of various outfits," he said.
Representing Sikkim, state Urban Development Minister D B Thapa said formation of separate states may renew unrest in the region adjoining Sikkim.
The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha is keeping close watch on formation of separate states and its formation may lead agitation for such demands in hills, he said.
Thapa said that its adverse effect will also be experienced in Sikkim which has its distinct identity and cultural heritage.
PTI
